Explore the law at UMM!

"Am I really cut out to read the law?"

"What kind of law should I practice?"

"Am I a litigator or a writer of great briefs?"

"Could a writ of habeas corpus
get me out of my final?"

Forensics, logic, business, justice, the Constitution...UMM offers several courses that allow undergraduates to explore the possibility of a career in law. Examine the list below and see what catches your interest. No legal pads or power of attorney required!

POL 3267. Courtroom Proceedings in American State and Federal Courts
Understanding courtroom procedure by observation of actual courtroom activity. Observation of a wide range of judicial proceedings, including arraignments, trials, sentencing, involuntary commitments to mental and alcohol treatment facilities, and the acceptance of negotiated settlements and/or plea-bargains. Observation of state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate level.

POL 3231. Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Examination of major Supreme Court opinions in the areas of freedom of religion, speech, assembly, and the press. Topics include the definitions of obscenity and libel, the Court's struggle with the right to privacy, and civil rights.

POL 3232. Constitutional Law: Governmental Powers and Constraints
Examination of major Supreme Court opinions in the areas of congressional, executive, and judicial authority; nation-state relations; and economic liberties. Topics include substantive vs. procedural due process, the Takings Clause, the contract clause, and the powers to tax and spend.

POL 3411. International Law
Relations of international law to individuals, states, the international community, jurisdictional problems, survey of principles developed by diplomatic agents and consuls, treaties, arbitration, treatment of aliens, pacific settlement. War and hostile measures short of war, military occupation, war crimes, neutrality, collective security sanctions.

MGMT 3141. Business Law I
Law as it relates to the commercial world, including the legal environment, federal regulation, contracts, agency, sales.

MGMT 3142. Business Law II
Law as it relates to the commercial world, including the legal environment, commercial paper, corporations, secured transactions, bankruptcy, anti-trust law, and selected employment statutes.

POL 4221. Judicial Politics
Role of judges, police, attorneys, and interest groups within the political system, with analysis focusing on each as political actors. Areas of discretion in the legal system. Extra-legal predictors of judicial decision making and certiorari voting.

PHIL 3131. Philosophy of Law
Critical examination of theoretical and practical normative issues in the philosophy of law (e.g., nature of law, justification of punishment, plea bargaining, legal and moral responsibility, and civil disobedience).

SPCH 2052. Legal Advocacy: Speaking in Appellate Forensic Situations
Detailed study of the theory and practice of speaking in legal settings. Students prepare and present appellate argument. The final presentation is before a mock Supreme Court.

SPCH 3251. Free Speech on Trial: Communication Perspectives on Landmark Supreme Court Decisions
Analysis and evaluation of Supreme Court opinions establishing the contours of First Amendment protection for freedom of speech. Particular attention is devoted to the nature of "communication" revealed by the decisions studied.

PHIL 2101. Introduction to Symbolic Logic
(Strongly recommended for the LSAT!)
An introduction to formal or deductive logic, including basic concepts of logical argumentation; Aristotelian logic; and symbolic translations, truth tables, and theory of deduction. Samples from political speeches, philosophical essays as well as original LSAT questions are analyzed.

PHIL 2111. Introductory Ethics
An introduction to philosophical accounts of what makes right acts right and wrong acts wrong, issues involving the concept of goodness, and arguments or debates about moral responsibility.

PHIL 2112. Professional Ethics
A critical examination of moral issues that arise in a person's professional life. Possible topics include affirmative action, autonomy in the workplace, ethical issues in advertising, corporate responsibility, coercive wage offers, distributive justice, and sexual harassment. Issues concerning race, gender, and women are included in selected modules.

MGMT 2101. Principles of Accounting I
Especially Recommended for Small Firm Lawyers
An introductory course in accounting principles and practices. The students develop an understanding of both the conceptual and procedural framework of the accounting processes. Emphasis is placed on the preparation and communication of accounting information and the financial statements for a proprietorship.

SPCH 4151. Argumentation: Theory and Practice
A study of rhetorical argument design and evaluation. Students analyze and critique arguments, as well as plan and present formal speeches.

SPCH 4201. Persuasion: Receiver Analysis
Investigation of persuasion theory and research from rhetorical and social science perspectives. Students analyze particular instances of persuasive attempts.